Broccoli-Cheese Chowder

This satisfying remake of broccoli chowder benefits from the creamy texture of cooked potatoes and smooth, tangy reduced-fat sour cream instead of getting its richness from as much as a cup each of cream and cheese. Not only is the flavor vibrant, but a single serving gives you over half of the daily recommendation for vitamin C.

READER'S COMMENT:

"I love this soup, as it was a hit with my family as well. However, instead of doing the hand mash of the veggies I did a mid-level puree of about 1/3 and I added more chicken stock, as a "chowder" was just too chunky. Overall the flavors...

The recipe calls for 8 oz of broccoli and I wonder whether that is 8 oz by weight or volume. I used a measuring cup rather than a scale, but it could have used more - maybe I should have done it by weight!
I made a double batch, so I would have some for the freezer, so I subbed half parmesan and half cheddar (not reduced fat). I also subbed chili powder since I had no cayenne, but the soup was pretty bland. Will spice up the remainder when it comes out of the freezer on a cold night.

This is a REALLY good chowder! I didn't have any cheddar so I used mozzarella and I added a pinch of red pepper flakes since I was out of cayenne pepper and it was just fine, a nice heat to a creamy and full tasting chowder.
In making the dish, it was a lot of stirring or the bottom of the pot will stick and that is never good, so you have to be very attentive. I love the way the flavors blend and it has a creamy taste due to the Yukon gold and onion base. I loved this chowder and will definitely make again (even with all the stirring).

I added Turmeric to the recipe about a 1 1/2 tsp. A little more garlic and added more salt. You need to taste the recipe as you go. I started with a low sodium organic vegetable broth. For a "wheat free version" I used corn starch and instead of onions I did leaks, a bit of green but mostly the white. It was good and then I added the sour cream and cheese which made it awesome. It is a great recipe to experiment with. As the vegetables tenderized, I also used a blender. It turned out to be a nice thick soup. Perfect for a rainy day!

Great soup, even my husband likes it! I followed the recipe and added a few more dashes of dry mustard. I don't think the potato makes it "grainy" or "mealy" as other reviews stated -- I think it helps thicken it perfectly. I tasted it before adding the cheese and it was a bit plain, but after the cheese & sour cream got mixed in it was wonderful! Will definitely make it again in the near future.